Shelton, who joined the Princeton faculty in 2000, focuses her research and teaching on understanding prejudice and discrimination from the target's perspective. She has received two of the University's top teaching awards, the Graduate Mentoring Award in 2011 and the President's Award for Distinguished Teaching in 2008.

Shelton's active engagement in the University community includes service as a member of the search committee for the vice president for campus life in 2009-10, the Committee on Conference and Faculty Appeal from 2009 to 2012, the Curriculum Committee of the Center for African American Studies from 2008 to 2010, the Committee on Judicial Appeals in 2008, and the University Committee on Discipline from 2006 to 2008.

The appointment was announced by Dean of the College Valerie Smith and Dean of Undergraduate Students Kathleen Deignan. A faculty member serves as the head of each of Princeton's residential colleges. The masters work closely with their staffs to build supportive communities and to devise programs and activities to extend education beyond the classroom.